an idea i'm going to try for spring startup and chlorine generators

i ran this idea by poolsean with autopilot last night re: season startup and shutdown at end of season for that matter. while it was specifically re: the autopilot, i'm sure it would be easy to adapt for other chlorine generators. my concern as i get into this is the pool is pretty dirty at start of season with decayed leaves, algae over the winter. rather than have the chlorine generator go through all that before i need it to generate chlorine, i'm going to get some pipe and fittings and build a "mock manifold" that i will simply put in line on the system instead of the chlorinator until the pool is clean enough to fire the generator up. it seems to me that having the chlorinator in line at seasonal startup is unnecessary wear and tear on the autopilot system at that point. ran it by sean and he thought it was a good idea.

If the SWG is after the filter, why not just turn it off instead of bypassing it?The water itself should be relatively clean after the filter and not degrade the cell unless the PH is real low or high. From what I understand, the life of cell is determined primarily by the amount of time it is on. Just use bleach for start-up and then when the pool is under control, switch on the cell.

i was thinking there would still end up being a bunch of crap flowing through the cell even if turned off unless the manifold is valved to bypass? also, i don't see the need or desire in freezing winter conditions to have the manifold outside..

that's my thinking anyway:)

You can also put a golfball in the screen before the cell, shutting off the cell and flow through it.

Pat

ah yes..i forgot seeing that option on a diagram (i don't have the unit yet) thanks..i may look at that option.

GOLF BALL ONLY WITH THE MANIFOLD THAT HAS 1.5" PIPES, NOT FOR THE 2" MANIFOLD ASSEMBLIES!!!!!!!!
The golf ball will most definately get pushed into the tri-sensor and break it.
Now, if you want to use the plastic bag trick, you can do that. Just tuck the plastic in so that it's not sticking out and causing a leak.

tenax: (to the kids in the pool playing near the return) "Fore!!"

kids in the pool: "ouch!":D :D

(Okay, no more scotch for me!)

ouch:) ok..so i'm clear, i have 1.5 inch piping..but the manifold itself will be 2 inches with the autopilot soft touch, i'm assuming? if correct, you're saying don't use a golf ball period unless everything is 1.5 inch (i thought the autopilots all had 2 inch piping?)

thanks

YES....and NO. We do have a 2" manifold assembly but am going back to the main loop to 1.5". The inlet and outlet tees will still be 2"

could swore i saw a picture somewhere showing positioning of the golf ball cause i'm not quite clear..sorry..my biorythms are off this time of night..or will it be like computers and make sense completely once i have the unit..i would hate to have to return saying cause of failure was a golf fall in the system:)

hey..better safe then sorry!

The Digital manual available on line shows the golf ball, but also states to use this with the old style 1.5"manifold assembly.

Sean,

You now have put me in a dilemma. Looks like I will have to take up tennis!:D

Pat

Nice. Try to fit the tennis ball in the manifold and see if that works.